Atherosclerosis is a common disease of the arteries in which fatty material, cholesterol, and other substances, are deposited on the vessel wall, resulting in narrowing and eventual impairment of blood flow through the vessel. Larger accumulations are called atheromas or plaques. The fatty material can eventually erode the wall of the artery, diminish the elasticity of the artery, and interfere with the blood flow. Clots may form around the plaque deposits, further interfering with blood flow. Severely restricted blood flow to the heart muscle leads to symptoms such as angina or chest pain. In such severe cases, treatments are administered to ensure adequate blood flow to the heart. Conventional treatments, including surgery and medications, attempt to treat the plaque after it has adhered to the vessel wall. Surgical treatments include coronary artery bypass grafting, stent implantation, and balloon angioplasty. Medications may be given to control cholesterol, blood pressure, and abnormal heart rhythms in an attempt to lessen the effects of the plaque buildup in the coronary arteries. However, such treatments are not always effective in preventing the more serious complications of atherosclerosis, for example, sudden death by lethal arrhythmia, acute myocardial infarction (MI or heart attack), or unstable angina.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a method and a device for preventing plaque formation in coronary arteries.